01 September, 2021
Summer racing was in full swing during July, and since the top horses in the country were resting for their fall G1 campaigns, the rest of the graded stakes level horses were allowed to build their resumes up as well.
The 1800m G3 Radio Nikkei Sho at Fukushima Racecourse on July 4th is one of the few remaining races on the calendar restricted to three-year-olds. Weiss Meteor(JPN) by the late King Kamehameha(JPN) sat mid-pack for the first half of the race before launching into a stellar stretch drive to win easily by two and a half lengths. World Revival(JPN) by Epiphaneia(JPN) had been stalking the pace and got up for second place a length in front go pace setter North Bridge(JPN) by Maurice(JPN), who held on for third.
In the 1200m G3 CBC Sho at Kokura Racecourse on July 4th, First Force(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa(JPN) posted an upset when the 8th favorite wired the race, holding on to win by half a length. Three-year-old G3 winner Pixie Knight(JPN) by Maurice(JPN) tried to work his way up from mid-pack to win but couldn't catch the winner in time. G3 winner A Will a Way(JPN) by Just a Way(JPN) was hot on his heels and finished three-quarters of a length back in third.
The 2000m G3 Tanabata Sho at Fukushima Racecourse on July 11th featured a brilliant rivalry between the first two finished. Rose Amour(JPN) by Rose Kingdom(JPN) and Taurus Gemini(JPN) by King's Best(USA) broke sharply, with Rose Amour(JPN) taking the initial lead. As the two neared the far turn, Taurus Gemini(JPN) pulled up next to the pacesetter, and the two launched into an epic battle for the lead, with Taurus Gemini(JPN) getting his neck in front in time to hit the line first. Rose Amour(JPN) was second, and Shonan Bardi(JPN) by also by King's Best(USA), was a length and a half back in third.
The 1700m G3 Procyon Stakes over the dirt course at Kokura Racecourse on July 11th saw a stunningly huge trifecta finish when three horses with high odds took over the race. The 12th favorite Meisho Uzumasa(JPN) by Lord Kanaloa(JPN) burst to the lead and set the pace throughout the race. 14th favorite Top Winner(JPN) by Bago(FR) stalked him in second. 9th favorite Meisho Kazusa(JPN) by Casino Drive(USA) sat off the pace till he made it to the stretch where Top Winner(JPN) had overtaken Meisho Uzumasa(JPN). Meisho Kazusa(JPN) hit the lead at the 200m mark and never looked back, winning by two and a half lengths. Top Winner(JPN) was second, with Meisho Uzumasa(JPN) held on for third a further two lengths back.
The 1200m G3 Hakodate Nisai Stakes at Hakodate Racecourse on July 17th is the first graded stakes race for two-year-olds in the JRA. Namura Lycoris(JPN) by Jo Cappuccino(JPN) stalked the pace in the third position during the race's early stages. She swung wide in the stretch and dug deep to win by a length and a quarter. Kaikano Kiseki(JPN) by Kinshasa no Kiseki(AUS) was also stalking the pace back in the third position early on in the race, and she managed to get up and present winner Namura Lycoris(JPN) a bit of a challenge in the stretch before having to settle for second place. Grande(JPN) by Discreet Cat(USA) was a length back in third.
In the 2000m, G3 Hakodate Kinen at Hakodate Racecourse on July 18th, second favorite Tosen Surya(JPN) by Lohengrin(JPN) stalked the pace before pulling away by three lengths to win his second graded stakes title. Ice Bubble(JPN) by Deep Impact(JPN) made up a lot of ground coming from the back of the pack to finish second. Not much distance separated the rest of the horses that hit the line, but Bio Spark(JPN) by Orfevre(JPN) got his nose out there to finish third.
The 1800m G3 Chukyo Kinen at Kokura Racecourse on July 18th saw favorite Andraste(JPN) by Orfevre(JPN) get up win her first graded stakes race by three-quarters of a length. While Andraste(JPN) had stalked the pace before making her move, Catedral(JPN) by Heart's Cry(JPN) and Clavel(JPN) by Epiphaneia(JPN) was near the back of the pack and made their moves a little too late. Catedral(JPN) had a powerful closing rush on the outside to finish second, while Clavel(JPN) maneuvered along the inside rail to be a neck back in third.
The 1000m G3 Ibis Summer Dash at Niigata Racecourse on July 25th is one of the most unique graded stakes races in the JRA, being run in a straight line via a shoot that elongates the stretch at Niigata Racecourse. It is a mad dash for speed supremacy in this race, and it was three-year-old filly All at Once(JPN) by Makfi(GB) who hit the wire with three-quarters of a length to spare. Lion Boss(JPN) by Battle Plan(USA) finished second, with Baccarat Queen(JPN) by Admire Moon(JPN) was a length back in third.
All JRA graded stakes results and race replays are available on Japan Association for International Racing, and Stud Book (JAIRS) 's website: http://japanracing.jp/.
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Satomi Oka (Ms)
Satomi Oka Bloodstock Pty Ltd
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